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Chronic hearing loss
Background
Overview
Definition
Chronic hearing loss is the loss of sound threshold sensitivity associated with difficulty in speech discrimination, causing social isolation and cognitive deficit.
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Pathophysiology
Chronic hearing loss is caused by degenerative processes associated with aging (presbycusis), genetic mutations, noise exposure, therapeutic drugs (aminoglycosides, cisplatin), and chronic conditions.
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Disease course
Impaired hearing may lead to social isolation due to impaired communication, and is associated with increased risk of depression, falls, hospitalizations, frailty, and dementia.
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Prognosis and risk of recurrence
Mild hearing loss and moderate/severe hearing loss in the elderly are associated with a 39% and 21% increased risk of mortality, respectively.
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Guidelines
Key sources
The following summarized guidelines for the evaluation and management of chronic hearing loss are prepared by our editorial team based on guidelines from the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP 2024), the American Cochlear Implant Alliance (ACI Alliance 2022), the American College of Medical Genetics (ACMG 2014), and the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF 2012).
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